§ 55. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of United Kingdom aid given to ex-Communist countries to liberalise their economies is given on a multilateral basis.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe have only just started giving aid to the reforming countries of eastern Europe, and precise statistics are accordingly not yet available. But a substantial proportion of the United Kingdom's aid to eastern Europe will be given multilaterally.
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§ 56. Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds are being made available for students from central and eastern Europe to study development economics in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo funds are currently set aside specifically for this purpose. However some £750,000 will be available in 1990–91 for students from eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to study in Great Britain through the FCO scholarships and awards scheme. Applications from students wishing to study development economics will be considered along with other applications.
In addition, we hope to establish a general scholarships programme through the know-how funds. This will be administered by the British Council. Detailed proposals are awaited and no financial limits have yet been set. Development economics will certainly be a discipline in which training will be eligible for support.
§ 65. Mr. John GarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that in all future years aid to eastern Europe will be additional to aid for developing countries.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe Government's substantial economic support for eastern Europe is entirely separate from and additional to our regular aid programme. We shall maintain our substantial aid programme to developing countries.